We asked 100 traders 5 different questions.
Think you know what most of them said?
Tomorrow. 6PM EST. Don't be late!
Comment 🎯 If you're playing for a chance to win a free account.
This is a journey that only people who have actually experienced it can understand, it changes people, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Either way, we created this group to talk as traders and we want to hear about it. 👇
Ever receive a compliment but don't know how to feel about it? Well in support, you kind of just have to let it happen.
What's the wildest "compliment" you've ever gotten or heard? Drop it in the comments👇
We've all made up a story or two to get what we want, so here's some insight on the type of stories we get in support. 🤦♂️
If you had to give one of these customers a free account reset, who would you choose and why? 😂
Their fate may be in your hands 🤷🏽♂️ so drop your thoughts below. ⬇️
Our support is hanging on by a thread and apparently so is our company if we don't comply.
I decided to start grading them. On an Aura scale (Starts a 10 and goes down from there, most aura wins)
"You give it to me for free or else I'll burn down your offices"
We're a remote company.
-5 Aura (Final Score: 5)
"I will kill every there if you don't fix my problem"
Before you send a threat, you have to proof read or it won't land.
-8 Aura (Final Score: 2)
"Close my ticket again and I promise i will close your company"
I like the play on words, all caps, and the empty promise solidified it.
-0 Aura (Final score: 10)
Let me know if agree with the scores or drop a threat in the comments and see if you can beat the ones that lost 👀 ⤵️
Tomorrow! Be ready.
July 28 | 6:00PM - 7:30pm EST 🔥
Please keep Marco from support in your thoughts and prayers. He had no idea what he was signing up for. 🙏
Since Marco is a professional and would respond with nothing but grace and kindness. Let’s allow him to live vicariously through you.
Pretend you're Marco with free range to troll and drop your best reply in the comments. Funniest response wins a free account. The real Marco will personally pick the winner! 😂⬇️
It's day 1 on your Growth $50K eval. No minimum days. Hit $3,000 and you're funded.
You're in a trade. Up $2,400. $600 away from being funded today. And price has not hit your price target just yet.
It’s still moving in your direction but has gotten a bit choppy. Your set up is still valid. Just uncomfortable movement.
You Have Two Choices 👀:
If you close now, you lock in $2,400 and have $600 left before passing
If you hold, you're either funded today or you could potentially give it all back.
$2,400 certain. $3,000 possible.
What type of trader are you in this situation? Diamond hands until target or do you lock it in? 👂
Short answer: You can start trading futures for less than you think, but the realistic number depends on which path you choose and what you're actually trying to accomplish.
You can technically start trading futures with as little as $200 by using micro contracts and even less than that using a funded account with a prop firm. However, each decision comes with it's own limitations and that's what we'll discuss below.
If you want to trade your own capital you need to open a margin account with a futures broker and deposit enough to cover the intraday margin requirement for whatever contract you want to trade.
Micro contracts are the entry point for most people. Here is an example of how much you'd need to start trading a micro NQ contract (MNQ) -
Trading MNQ requires roughly $100 in intraday margin per contract at most brokers, so technically you can start with $100. Realistically, you'll need at least $200 to $300 because any move against you risks triggering a margin call and getting automatically removed from your position before you can react.
A margin call is when your account balance falls below what's required to purchase that contract. For example, if you got into 1 MNQ contract and price went against you, bringing your account to $85.
The Limitations of starting with the minimum
Yes you can technically trade futures with $200. However, it will be difficult to trade with any meaningful risk management, absorb a losing streak without blowing the account, or realistically scale to a point where the profits change your financial situation.
Most experienced traders recommend a minimum of $1,000 - 2,000 to trade micro contracts with proper risk management, assuming you're risking 1 - 5 percent per trade and have enough cushion to absorb losses while you develop consistency.
The prop firm path works completely different and for many traders, especially those without significant capital, it's another good option to get exposure to the market at a lower cost of entry
Instead of depositing your own money into a margin account, you pay a one-time fee, typically between $60 and $230 depending on the firm and account size. This gives you access to a funded account that's significantly larger than what you could fund yourself and your risk is capped at the evaluation / activation cost.
The tradeoff is you have to prove you can trade first and and meet requirements for a payout once funded.
How the evaluation works
You trade a simulated account under specific rules, a profit target to hit and drawdown limits you cannot breach. Hit the target while staying within the rules and you get access to the funded account. The firm then pays you a profit split, typically 80 to 90 percent, on whatever you generate going forward.
When you fund your own account, you can purchase whatever contracts that amount allows for and that is the leverage you have to trade with. When you purchase a prop firm account (50k Tradeify Select account for example), you'd pay $100 for $2,000 worth of drawdown / leverage to trade with.
What the prop firm path does not solve
It does not make trading easier. It does not remove the need for a real edge and real discipline. Traders who approach the evaluation as a game to beat rather than a genuine test of their consistency almost always fail it eventually.
The evaluation fee also becomes an ongoing cost if you're resetting repeatedly without improving. A trader who pays $87 five times without passing has spent $435, more than double what a self-funded micro account would require.
Self-funded micro account:
Minimum starting capital: $200 (Need $1000 - $2000 realistically)
Leverage: $100 (Margin call if fallen below)
Scaling: 1 Micro Contract --> $2 per point move MNQ
Rules: none beyond standard broker rules
Risk: $200
Prop firm evaluation account: 50k Select Account Example (Tradeify)
Minimum cost to start: $99
Leverage: $2000 Drawdown
Scaling: $3,000 Payout cap every 5 days
Rules: profit targets, drawdown limits, consistency requirements
Risk: Evaluation fee ($100)
Both are viable. The right choice depends entirely on your situation.
If you have capital and want complete freedom with no rules, fund your own account and trade micro contracts while you develop consistency. The lower leverage and smaller contract sizes give you room to learn without catastrophic losses.
If you're earlier in your journey, don't have significant capital, or want to access larger account sizes without years of compounding, the prop firm path gives you that access at a fraction of the cost. The evaluation rules that feel restrictive are also the same rules that force you to develop the discipline that keeps you funded long term.
What neither path does is shortcut the actual work. Futures trading requires a real edge, real risk management, and the ability to execute consistently under pressure. The contract you trade and the account you fund are just the vehicle.
Which one would you start with?
You can only choose one, pick wisely!
Drop your color below and tell us why. 👇
If you have an idea for a new account type, a rule change, a payout innovation, a platform feature, or a program or community idea, you'll have a chance to pitch it tonight! 💡
Brett is picking his favorite and handing out free accounts, you don't want to miss it!
Tonight 6pm - 7:30pm. Be Ready 🔥
Age: 27 Years
Height: 29,400
Looking For: A disciplined trader who respects my levels and doesn't chase me into extended moves.
About me: I'm highly liquid, emotionally volatile, and I sometimes move too fast. But once you get to know me, I am really fun and have a lot to give 😏💰
My love language is patience.
My trauma: Being blamed for trader mistakes since 1999.
Comment Below If you are swiping Left or Right? ⬅️ or ➡️
It could be a green or red trade, doesn't matter. If you followed your rules, if you sized properly, etc.
Regardless of what that means for you, let's talk about it. 👀👇
Was your account pretty much blown and you brought it back?
Did you lose big but turned around and won even bigger?
How did it happen? ⬇️
Let's talk about some of the most challenging things when attempting to get to the funded stage. What has been your bottleneck?
We're filming a video where Nick breaks down the community's biggest wins and worst losses. No names, no judgement, just the lesson. Drop your trade below ⬇️
Copy this and fill it in:
Instrument + size:
Result ($):
What happened (1 line):
Chart (screenshot or TradingView replay link):
Bonus points for worst single-trade loss, a reckless big win, a revenge trade that spiraled, an overtrading bleed day, your cleanest disciplined trade, or a big win done the RIGHT way
Everything will be anonymous on stream. No usernames or account info on screen. By submitting, you're good with it being featured. Remember, the worse, the better 🤣
Let's talk about it!👇
I'll go first. This trade was in the PM session. Even though it worked out, I would take it back because it went against my rule and likely reinforced a behavior that could cost me down the line.
Let's break it down:
Drop yours in the comments and tell us why. Would love to see how you guys trade and hear about your experience in the markets this week. 🙏🏽⬇️
Some traders swear by it and say need hundreds of hours logged before ever risking real money. Others say it's overrated and screen time in live markets teaches you faster than any backtest could.
Where do you actually stand on this?
Poll:
Drop your reasoning below. Curious to hear from people on both sides of this. 👀
I'll go first.... Being Patient! That is it, that is all. Patience has always been my biggest struggle.
What about you? 👀
